Hyalodiscus rubicundus feeding on an algae

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Ferry
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Hyalodiscus rubicundus feeding on an algae

Post by Ferry »

The next sequence shows how a cell of Hyalotheka dissilens is attacked by Hyalodiscus rubicundus.

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Hyalodiscus rubicundus is a vampyrellid amoeboid which opens cells of algae and sucks their content, hence its name.

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Hyalodiscus rubicundus penetrates the mucous layer around the algae.

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The amoeba reaches the cell membrane of the algae and starts to open a cell. This process lasts for about 10 minutes.

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Suddenly, within seconds, a large part of the cell content moves into the amoeba. This goes fast.

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The next 15 minutes Hyalodiscus pulls all the remaining pieces of the chloroplast in its cytoplasm, piece by piece.

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The job is done.

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Hyalodiscus moves to the neighbouring cell and the process starts again.

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16 minutes later the cell is open.

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When Hyalodiscus is filled with food, it builds a digestive cyst.

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After some days the amoeba (left, orange spot) leaves its cyst, leaving indigestible residue behind.

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Holes made by Hyalodiscus in cell walls of Hyalotheka dissilens.
Last edited by Ferry on Fri Nov 21, 2014 3:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Pau
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Post by Pau »

Ferry, what an interesting and well photographed sequence! =D>
Pau

pwnell
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Post by pwnell »

Incredibly informative and well explained - thanks!

GemBro
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Post by GemBro »

Excellent shots Ferry ... brilliant sequence of events ... stills (in story board fashion) are sometimes better than video ...

I haven't ventured into Micro Photography but I could sit and watch these all day long ... very informative ...
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Jacek
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Post by Jacek »

wow ! :shock:

Chris S.
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Post by Chris S. »

Wow, Ferry! A story well told, very interesting and illustrative. A tour de force.

--Chris

arturoag75
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Post by arturoag75 »

Fantastic explanation of this incredible sequence :shock: :wink:
Arturo

vasselle
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Post by vasselle »

Bonjour
Bravo cette observation qui est super intéressent car pour moi c'est la première fois que je vois ça.
Merci pour la partage.
Cordialement seb
Microscope Leitz Laborlux K
Boitier EOS 1200d

piermicro
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Post by piermicro »

Very well sequence. Very interesting.

carlos.uruguay
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Post by carlos.uruguay »

Excellent, thanks for sharing it!

JH
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Post by JH »

Hi Ferry
Interesting, informative and very nice photos!
Is it the same preparate and amoeba that you have in the thirteenth picture "After some days the amoeba..." as you have in the first pictures? If it is, how do you keep the preparate fresch for such a long time.

Regards Jörgen

Olympusman
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Sequence

Post by Olympusman »

Ferry,
Bravo! Amazing sequnce.
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Charles Krebs
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Post by Charles Krebs »

Ferry,

This is really a wonderful sequence of images. Glad you posted it!

Ferry
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Post by Ferry »

Thank you all!

@ Jörgen,
Look at www.arcella.nl/humidity-chambers where I explain how to keep wet mounts fresh and wet for many days. Essentially every mount or slide is a small culture and a lot of 'new' species come out of the debris, or cysts. It is the way I usually work, especially for observing small species.

JH
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Post by JH »

Thanks Ferry
Your Website is very interesting and informative.
Regards Jörgen

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